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17th September 2023
Author: Wulf Livingston Posted: 17th September 2023
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Introducing Dr. Wendy Dossett

Wendy has so much insight into the process of recovery. She is honest and thoughtful when reflecting on her own recovery journey. She has a rich understanding of the 12-Step Fellowship and in particular the role that spirituality plays in recovery. Many years of navigating obstacles within systems, and supporting meaningful actions...
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17th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 17th September 2023
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Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), 12-Step Movement, and Minnesota Model

The Twelve-Step Movement developed from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a self-help organisation founded in 1935 when one alcoholic, Bill Wilson (‘Bill W.’), talked to another alcoholic, Bob Smith (‘Dr. Bob’), about the nature of alcoholism and a possible solution for people suffering...
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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‘Healing is in Our Stories’ by Deron Drumm RIP

'The beautiful people that I am so grateful to know have found meaning in despair and have found the strength and courage to seek out their current life path. There is no question that they are stronger and more compassionate people because of their experiences.'
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Reducing Suicide By Connecting To Culture

The destruction of Aboriginal culture by the colonisation process has played a key role in this youth suicide. Becoming disconnection from one’s culture can eradicate a person’s sense of self (or identity), their self-worth and their emotional wellbeing. They cannot function from...
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Huseyin Djemil, Part 3

In a third interview, Huseyin Djemil talks about the traumatising events he experienced as a young child. His father and mother were arrested after the former killed someone in their house. Huseyin and his sisters lived with relatives until their mother was released from prison. Their father served time for manslaughter. Huseyin talks about the impact that these events had on his later life...
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Tim’s Story: ‘Doctor in Recovery’

I learned more about addiction and recovery than I thought it possible to know… and more besides. The most valuable stuff I learned from my peers and other recovering people. Mutual aid meetings were an important component of the treatment programme. I remember sitting in my first meeting...
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Connection

James Deakin emphasises that members of North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC) have to not only attend mutual aid groups, but also engage in a minimum of 20-30 hours community social activities a week. 'It's forming those sober connections, it's being around other people that are clean and sober... it's about connection.'
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Towards Recovery

Towards Recovery offers a Recovery Cafe in Henley-on-Thames, as well as an online Recovery Cafe, where people recovering from addiction can get support and encouragement. It aims to help people connect with others, re-connect with themselves and the world around them, and make sustainable changes to create a life...
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Development of Towards Recovery: Huseyin Djemil

Huseyin describes how he first set up Towards Recovery in 2012, starting out by renting a church coffee shop for monthly evening gatherings. He and his colleagues wanted to make recovery visible, letting people see ‘it’ and decide whether they wanted to connect to it.
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16th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 16th September 2023
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Recovery, Reintegration, and Anti-Discrimination: Julian Buchanan

The paper highlights ‘the debilitating nature of marginalisation and social exclusion that many long term problem drug users have experienced. It concludes by suggesting a new social model to understand and conceptualise the process of recovery from drug...
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15th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 15th September 2023
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Ian and Irene’s Story, ‘Living Through Our Son’s Addiction and Death: Our Journey to Recovery’

Sometimes, it’s the little things that are significant recovery moments. Like the many comments from family members who we’ve supported, confirming to us that their contacting CPSG has been of genuine benefit...
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15th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 15th September 2023
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On Relationships and Connectedness: Bruce Perry

‘... I’m very concerned about poverty of relationships in modern society. In our work, we find the best predictor of your current mental health is your current “relational health”, or connectedness. This connectedness is fueled by two things: the basic capabilities you’ve developed...'
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15th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 15th September 2023
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The Nature of Healing: Voices of We Al-li

'My medicine is listening to other people too. First time I as in a meeting like this, and I listened to others talking, I though they were talking about my life, their experiences were like my experiences. Their feelings were like my feelings. They were stealing my story—I wanted to know how did they know my story and what it felt like to be...'
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15th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 15th September 2023
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Dr. David McCartney

Dr. David McCartney, Founder of Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP), talks about the development of his drinking problem whilst working as a GP in an inner-city practice in Scotland. He describes an unsuccessful attempt at sobriety, which involved a medical approach focused on prescribing. In crisis, he...
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15th September 2023
Author: David Clark Posted: 15th September 2023
Categories

Stigma

Our interviewees talk about various aspects relating to the stigmatisation of people who have had a past drug or alcohol problem.  David McCartney describes the negative reactions of a doctor who was assessing him as part of the process of determining whether he was eligible to receive benefits after he had come out of a treatment...
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